


Camellia Crowns & Dahlia Dreams

by driizzle



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Miscommunication, Pining, Snusmumriken | Snufkin Has Paws and a Tail, Trans Snusmumriken | Snufkin, as it should be....., moomin is clueless (but whats new)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 11:43:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19106401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driizzle/pseuds/driizzle
Summary: Snufkin was never a fan of hibernation. Even when he was young, he had trouble staying still for long periods of time. But when a miscommunication occurs, he accidentally agrees to do just that. How can he possibly stay asleep for months on end when his best friend/crush is lying right next to him?-~-was thinkin' bout how snufkin spent his 1st winter in moominvalley hibernating so!!!!!!! here's this aflkjdhsd





	1. Mistakes

Snufkin lay peacefully on the edge of the river, listening absentmindedly to the sound of his friend’s breathing as he waited for the fish to bite. Moomintroll was curled up beside him, staring at the water as it rushed by. He was only half-awake, and his tail swayed back and forth calmly as he daydreamed about who-knows-what.

For some reason, this amused Snufkin. It made him wonder what he was thinking about.

It was a lovely late-autumn morning. The air was crisp, and the colorful leaves dropping from the trees carpeted the ground in brilliant orange, red, and yellow hues. The sky was choked up with ominous-looking clouds, which worried Snufkin, but occasionally, the sun would peek out timidly and gaze kindly upon Moominvalley. Snufkin crossed his legs comfortably and put his hands behind his head.

He placed his hat over his face, contemplative. He was glad to just take in the serenity of it all, but something bugged him in the back of his mind; a reminder of sorts. It seemed to follow him everywhere he went, like a pest.

It told him that it was almost winter-time. He knew this all too well. And he was pretty sure Moomintroll knew it too. But neither of them said anything, out of fear it would make it real. And there was nothing wrong with that, he imagined, if it meant they could go about their lives stress-free for just a few more days.

 _’He’s sure is a sensitive fellow…’_ he thought fondly. _’It would be a shame to sour this lovely moment with bad news.’_

He lifted the brim of his hat to catch a glimpse at the fellow in question. He couldn’t see his face, as it was turned away from him, but Snufkin imagined he was getting quite tired. He had noticed a trend over the past few years -- in the few weeks before their winter hibernation, those who hibernated in Moominvalley slept for longer and longer, and took naps throughout the day as well. Almost as if they were practicing.

Snufkin chuckled lightly at the idea, reaching over to prod at his friend’s fuzzy arm. Moomintroll blinked awake with a surprised “hrm?”

“Hey. Don’t go to sleep yet,” he said. “It’s only midday.”

Moomintroll, who was resting on his belly, groaned and flopped over onto his side with his back to Snufkin. His ear flicked in annoyance, like a disgruntled cow.

“Leave me ‘lone,” he mumbled, “ ‘m sleepy.”

Snufkin rolled his eyes and poked him again. “Come on, now. We should probably go inside.”

“Mrhm.”

Moomintroll turned onto his back, accidentally pressing his fur against Snufkin’s leg. He casually inched away to make space between them.

“Do I have to?” he complained, not noticing Snufkin’s discomfort. Snufkin rose to his feet, stretching out his achey limbs until they cracked.

“No, but I wouldn’t stay out for much longer,” he replied, shielding his eyes from the sun as he gazed up at the clouds. “It looks like it’s gonna rain soon.”

Moomintroll sighed and sat up (albeit with some effort). His eyes were drowsy with sleep, and he had a terrible bedhead. Snufkin put a hand over his mouth, stifling a laugh.

Moomintroll squinted, leaning back on his hands. “What’s so funny, then? Out with it.”

Wordlessly, Snufkin pointed towards the unruly mess on his head. With a half-hearted grunt, Moomintroll pawed at it, trying to make it a bit more presentable. Naturally, it only made it more defiant.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Snufkin said, offering a hand to pull him up. “We can comb that out later.”

Thankful, Moomintroll grasped Snufkin’s forearm and was pulled up to his feet. He regained his balance and rubbed at his eyes. “Whatever. It’s just going to get messy again. Might as well leave it alone.”

Before Snufkin could hit him with a snarky response, a fat raindrop hit Moomintroll’s snout and gave him a startle. The two looked at each other, then back up towards the sky. Snufkin was right; it had started to rain.

“Ah!” Moomintroll exclaimed, clasping Snufkin’s paw. “We should run!”

“Agreed!”

And with that, Snufkin swiped his fishing rod with his free hand before the two scampered back towards Moominhouse hand-in-hand. They stumbled up the steps and shook off the raindrops before making their way inside.

When the two were safely inside, they were sopping wet. The downpour came so suddenly, it had just about drenched Snufkin to the bone. He cursed himself for forgetting to waterproof his coat that summer.

“Ah! I can feel it on my skin!” Moomintroll squeaked, shivering. “I feel like a wet dog.”

Snufkin’s eyes creased when he grinned. “I can see the resemblance.”

“Oh, don’t be horrid.” Moomintroll squinted at him humorously, unable to contain his smile.

Moominmamma, who was busy washing dishes in the kitchen, peered out of the doorway at them curiously.

“Oh, you poor dears. Let me get you some towels,” she lamented. “And Moomintroll, I know you’re cold, but don’t you _dare_ shake out that fur until I get back.”

Moomintroll nodded dutifully, and Moominmamma trotted off towards the laundry room. Snufkin gave him a conceited smirk.

“Is that problem commonplace in the Moomin-household?” he asked, earning a laugh from his companion.

“Unfortunately so! But, if I am being honest, Moominpappa is the biggest contributor.”

As the two stood there, chuckling and dripping rainwater onto the living room rug, they looked down to see that they were still holding hands. Snufkin’s insides flopped about, and his face turned red. He clumsily detached and rubbed the back of his neck. Moomintroll stepped back stared at his feet, twiddling his thumbs. His ears turned a bit red in embarrassment.

“Ah. Uh, s-sorry, Snufkin,” Moomintroll apologized with a sheepish smile. “Guess I didn’t… uh… notice.”

Snufkin shrugged casually, masking his loss of coherent thought. “...‘ts fine.”

Snufkin sat on a stool (averting his eyes by tilting down the brim of his hat) and removed his mud-caked boots and coat. He felt dreadfully exposed, but it was better than getting pneumonia. Moomintroll shivered, his furry, boot-less feet brown from the mud.

Moominmamma returned with a stack of terrycloth towels, relieved to see that her antique furniture wasn’t yet drenched.

“You first, Snufkin,” she decided. He grabbed one of the towels gratefully and left his hat on the ground. He vigorously dried out his overgrown auburn hair, making the fuzz on the end of his cat-like ears puff up. Then he patted down the rest of him.

Behind him, he heard Moomintroll thank Moominmamma, and he heard her footsteps leave back towards the kitchen.

“Tea, Snufkin?” she asked.

Snufkin’s eyes lit up. “Yes, please! Chamomile, if you have it.”

She nodded kindly and returned to the kitchen. There was an odd lapse in conversation when Moominmamma left. Snufkin coughed into his hand. When he turned, he caught Moomintroll looking at him, but he glanced away guiltily. The tension was almost unbearable. He didn’t know if it was the hand-holding or Snufkin’s general awkwardness, but he desperately wished it would stop.

“So…” Moomintroll spoke first, his fur sticking up all over the place with static electricity. “... Winter’s on its way, huh?”

Snufkin nodded. “Yep. It’s getting close now.”

There was another uncomfortable pause. Moomintroll shook out his fur, now that it was dry. Snufkin was left in his socks and short-sleeved undershirt, and was feeling a mite bit vulnerable. He crossed his arms, wrapping the towel around himself like a cloak.

Moomintroll noticed this and jumped to his feet immediately. “Oh! If you’re, uh, if you need something to wear -- temporarily, o-of course! While your outfit-thing dries -- you could borrow some of my old winter-wear?”

Snufkin’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. I don’t want to be a bother,” he declined politely.

“Nonsense!” Moomintroll reassured him, dashing upstairs. “I’ll be but a moment. Don’t move a muscle!”

Before he could object, Moomintroll was gone. Which left him alone in the living room. By himself. With nobody else around.

 _’That was quite odd,’_ he found himself thinking. He propped his head up on his hands. _’How could a mistake so insignificant make me feel so…’_

Snufkin struggled to find the right word.

_’... wobbly.’_

Everything felt natural just a moment ago, when they were kidding and joking around. But as soon as he noticed how perfectly their hands fit together, he--

“Wait, what?” he said aloud, mortified. That _definitely_ wasn’t where he intended to go with that. He shook his head, erasing that train of thought from his mind. He was sure if he just acted normal, things would _be_ normal. That’s how things usually went, right?

Just then, Moominmamma reentered the room. She was carrying two china saucers with steaming hot cups resting on top. Snufkin smelled the herbs and calmed down a bit.

“Snufkin, Moomintroll, your tea is ready,” she called, setting down the saucers and beckoned for Snufkin. He draped his towel over his shoulders and sat down in his usual seat.

“Now, where has Moomintroll run off to?” she asked, glancing back towards where he was sitting before.

Snufkin shrugged nonchalantly, tracing a pattern in the tablecloths lace. “I’unno. He ran upstairs to get something, I think.”

Moominmamma stopped what she was doing, and squinted at him, suspicious. He sat up a bit, startled. He hesitated for a moment. Then, just as fast as it came, she resumed her kind demeanor. She clasped her hands together. “Alright, then. Do make sure he doesn’t forget, though, if you don’t mind.”

Snufkin nodded enthusiastically, relieved the interrogation was over. She padded off towards the stairwell, the decrepit house creaking under her footsteps. He listened closely until the noise faded away. Then, he slumped in his chair with a sigh. _’Does she know something?’_ he wondered. _’Or am I just paranoid?’_

He grimaced at his foolishness. She was just concerned, he was sure.

He blew on his tea softly before taking a sip. It was still scalding hot, but the taste was welcoming. Moominmamma knew exactly how he liked it.

Just then, Moomintroll bounded back down the stairs holding a mountain of jumpers and such. He probably couldn’t even see where he was going, the pile was so high.

Snufkin set down his saucer and jumped up to help, accidentally dropping the towel. “Ah, do you want some help with that?”

“Snufkin!” he exclaimed. “I’ve got it! All is well! Lemme just…”

He wavered a moment before dropping the whole heap right on the ground. He beamed, proud.

“Hey! Again!” he chirped, out of breath. “I didn’t know what you’d want. So I kind of… uhm…”

Snufkin laughed softly, looking over the massive stack of sweaters and trousers. “Goodness, Moomintroll. Did you bring your entire bloody wardrobe?” he inquired. Moomintroll’s shoulders sagged in relief as he sat on the carpet.

“Perhaps,” he admitted with a little giggle, “go ahead, pick out whatever you’ll feel comfortable in.”

Snufkin carefully browsed through the selection. Most of it was wool -- some of Moominmamma’s creations, no doubt -- but there were some other cardigans made of cotton. He pulled out a hideous orange pull-over with a gaudy heart on the back.

“If this yours?” he asked, chuckling. Moomintroll glanced over at it and almost jumped out of his skin. He blushed furiously, snatching it and hiding it away behind his back.

“Ahh! No, no!” he ensured. “I have no idea how this got here! It’s… Papa’s! Obviously!”

“Obviously,” Snufkin repeated, lifting an eyebrow skeptically.

Moomintroll squirmed, looking ashamed. He dropped the subject, guilty for making him uncomfortable.

After a moment, he picked out some worn-looking brown trousers. They looked small enough -- maybe they were from his younger years?

“How about this?” Moomintroll asked, holding up a pea-green turtleneck. It was huge (understandably, as it was made for Moomins, not Snufkins), and had a few flowers he couldn’t identify sewn in.

“Oh, that’s lovely,” he commented, taking it thankfully. “You’re sure you won’t mind me borrowing it?”

Moomintroll nodded vigorously. “By all means! I haven’t worn that in quite a while.”

With a little “hup!”, Snufkin lifted it over his head and slipped it on. It was a lot bigger than he thought, and it came all the way down to his knees. He felt like he’d been swallowed up in a blanket of warmth. He breathed in the indescribable smell of Moominhouse and sighed. Smelled homely.

Suddenly, against his own will, Snufkin began purring in satisfaction.

His eyebrows shot up and he slapped a hand over his mouth, ashamed when he realized what he’d done. Moomintroll just stared, wide eyed.

“Don’t you _dare_ laugh,” Snufkin demanded, his face growing red-hot by the second. But it was too late, Moomintroll had doubled over, his face cracked in a goofy ear-to-ear grin.

Snufkin crossed his arms sourly, longing for his hat so he might hide his embarrassment. Moomintroll chortled. “I didn’t know--” he paused to take a breath, “--you could purr!!”

“No one does!” he hissed, whirling around to make sure nobody else was nearby. “So keep it down!”

Moomintroll had fallen on his back, his tail swaying in amusement as he tried to control his laughter. Snufkin just glowered, tapping his foot.

“You must tell _nobody_ about what you just heard,” he implored. “My reputation is at stake here.”

Moomintroll sat up, wiping a tear from his eye. He made a “zipped lips” motion with his hand.

“Promise!” Snufkin said, worried.

“I swear on my tail, I will not tell another soul!”

Snufkin rubbed at his temples in agitation before sitting down next to his friend. They sat in silence for a moment as Moomintroll caught his breath.

“Sorry for laughing,” Moomintroll apologised after he had recovered.

Snufkin shrugged, leaning back his arms as he calmed down. “It’s fine. I would too, if I were you. It’s ridiculous.”

Another pause. The grandfather clock in the hallway ticked at them angrily. “... Well!” Moomintroll rose to his feet, planting his arms on his hips. “I’m gonna bring this stuff back upstairs. Wanna come?”

“Actually, if you’ll give me a moment,” he said, gesturing to the trousers he picked out.

“Oh. Oh! Certainly. You probably know where the washroom is by now, right?”

Snufkin rolled his eyes. “Yes, Moomintroll.”

Moomintroll smacked his forehead. “Right. Duh. See you in a minute!”

And, with an awkward little salute, Moomintroll scooped up the remaining clothing (dropping some socks in the process) and scampered upstairs. Snufkin couldn’t help but snicker.

Humming a little tune to himself, he made his way to the washroom to try on those trousers. He slipped them on, leaving his damp set by the front door with his coat. They weren’t actually that bad, even if they were a bit big. He’d ask Moomintroll for a belt later. He hoped it didn’t look too poofy.

Well, he could have checked in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of the door. But he decided against it.

Curious, he checked the pockets. There was an assortment of forgotten artifacts, including (but not limited to) three buttons, several small seashells, crayons of different shapes and sizes, and a tiny pocket-sized notebook. The urge to snoop through it was very powerful, but he resisted. That would be rude. Even though his curiosity was overwhelming. He stashed it back in the pocket so he wouldn’t be tempted.

Before he made his way upstairs, he paused to grab the tea Moominmamma kindly left out for them. No use letting it get cold.

“Hullo?” he asked, tapping on Moomintroll’s door with his foot. There was a grunt of affirmation, and he swung it open.

Snufkin hadn’t been in Moomintroll’s room for a little while. Not much had changed from the last time he came, save for a second, smaller bed sitting next to Moomintroll’s.

“What’s this for?” he asked, carefully putting Moomintroll’s cup on his desk.

“That? Oh, Sniff slept over the other night,” he said. He was busy hanging all the sweaters back up in his closet. “The guest room was being used, so Papa helped me drag this upstairs.”

Snufkin nodded sagely. He sat on the edge of the guest bed as Moomintroll finished up his work. His friend sat opposite to him on his own bed.

“So. When are you leaving?” he asked shyly, tilting his head.

Snufkin blinked, surprised. He hadn’t expected this question so soon. “Uh… a few days or so, I would say.”

Moomintroll’s ears drooped a bit, disappointed. “Oh.”

Snufkin frowned sympathetically. This was always the worst part of leaving. But both of them knew why it had to be done. _’So why does it still feel so wrong?’_

“I know what you’re going to say, but I just…” Moomintroll’s voice faded to the background as he pondered the question. Well, firstly, it’s probably for the best with him acting up like this. He couldn’t stop thinking about Moomintroll. What was that all about anyways? He’d been around him plenty long. What was causing him to act so rash lately? Maybe he was getting ill. He really should look into that. Being stuck sick just before leaving would be a nightmare.

He realized that Moomintroll was saying something to him and nodded enthusiastically, still zoned out.

He wouldn’t mind sleeping here again. It was very nice the last time, and it’s been far too long. They could have a sleepover (he dismissed the idea that it was too childish for them). He thought about what they might do; telling stories, talking about nothing, reading some of Moominpappa’s novels perhaps. He knew that there were some good books Moomintroll would like. It sounded pleasant enough.

“... Right?” Moomintroll said in the periphery of his awareness. Snufkin agreed absentmindedly. “Oh, sure, absolutely.”

If they had time, they could sneak down to sea and go tide-pooling. The coolest things always showed up when the tide was low. Maybe they could make something nice from the shells washed up there.

Moomintroll said something quietly that ended as a question. Snufkin blinked out of his thoughts, confused. He was looking at him expectantly.

“Well?” Moomintroll prodded, eyes bright.

Oh goodness. He should have paid attention. He had no clue what the question was. Casually, he tapped his leg, looking thoughtful (or trying to, anyways) before saying: “... Yes? I think?”

At once, Moomintroll jumped to his feet with a noise of excitement, pulling Snufkin off the bed by his hands.

“Oh, really?! That is brilliant news!” he cheered, spinning his friend around in circles ( _’Do not think about his hands. Do not. Don’t do it,’_ Snufkin ordered. He thought about how they were holding hands and grew clumsy.) “I was so certain you would say no, but this is… this is so exciting!”

Snufkin was dizzy when his friend let go, little spots of color dotting before his vision. Moomintroll scurried to the door and opened it, dancing in place. “I’ll go tell everyone right away! Oh, this is fantastic news, Snufkin!”

“I’m, uhm, glad?” he mumbled, dazed. “Wait, wait. What did…”

But Moomintroll had already disappeared. Oh, bother.

He took a deep breath and sprinted after him. Snufkin was bewildered. Just what was it that he agreed to just now? He hoped it wasn’t anything too big. He _prayed_ it wasn’t anything too big.

When he got to the bottom of the stairs, Moomintroll and Mama were chatting by the banister. Moominmamma looked up at him, excitement sparkling in her eyes.

“I just heard the news!” she said. “How delightful. I’ll set things up right away.”

Snufkin felt like he was out of touch with the world. “Set what up? What’s happening?”

Moomintroll turned to face him, a goofy smile plastered across his face. “What are you talking about? She’s going to get your bed ready!”

Snufkin’s stomach fell. Had he accidentally agreed to join a sleepover? He admitted the idea was nice in theory, but he had no idea how they worked. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to survive the night around other people, as he didn’t really have practice with that sort of thing.

“Oh, no, I can’t stay tonight,” he said, desperately trying to get out of this situation.

Moomintroll blinked. “But… it’s not tonight. Winter’s coming in a few days now. You said it yourself!”

“What are you talking ab--” it was then that the realization hit him. Getting a bed ready? Moomintroll’s overexcitement? _Winter?!_

He swallowed, burying his face in his turtleneck.

It would appear that he just agreed to spend the entire winter here. In hibernation. With Moomintroll. For three months.

He had a feeling this was going to be a long winter...


	2. Excuses, Excuses

“Oh.”

Snufkin blinked, stuck in some sort of daze. He had a shocked look on his face, which was half-concealed by his borrowed turtleneck. Moominmamma looked back and forth between the two of them.

“Ah. Hm. I think I will tell Papa the good news,” she said gently, scooting past Snufkin so she could go upstairs. The pause continued even after the door to Moominpappa’s office closed shut. Moomintroll tilted his head, calming down, as he realized that something might be off.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked worriedly. He wondered if Snufkin was having second thoughts. He did seem a bit hesitant when he asked if he would stay the winter…

Snufkin gulped before coughing awkwardly and meeting him at the bottom of the stairwell.

“Uhm… ah… no. There’s nothing _wrong_ per se, but…”

Moomintroll’s heart sank. “You’ve changed your mind… haven’t you?” he asked, wringing his hands.

Snufkin dithered with his hand on the railing, his facial features scrunched up in guilt. “Well…” He rubbed the back of his neck. Not a good sign.

Moomintroll sighed and looked down at the ground. He should have known it was too good to be true. Snufkin had too much of an adventurous spirit to be stuck inside for so long. Moomintroll felt foolish for asking when he already knew the answer, but he had hoped that this time would be different.

Not wanting to seem displeased, he managed a weak smile and let his arms fall to his side.

“... Ah. Well, that’s alright,” he said, stepping backwards. His tail dragged on the ground. “Guess it can’t be helped.”

He sat down on the last step of the stairs and motioned for Snufkin to join him. He did, albeit awkwardly, keeping an excessive amount of space between them. Moomintroll stared at the space between his feet.

“Sorry,” he apologized, wringing his hands. “I know that you need your alone time, and I respect that. I was just--”

“W-Wait,” Snufkin blurted out clumsily, his voice dripping with regret. Moomintroll turned to face him, surprised.

“Hm?”

Snufkin’s tail twitched anxiously by his side. “... Are we… talking about the same thing?”

Moomintroll furrowed his brow. “What do you mean? Aren’t you talking about staying for winter?”

Snufkin shook his head vigorously, his eyes wide.

“Oh, no. I’m quite sold on that front, trust me,” he explained. The corner of his mouth twitched. “I was talking about these silly oversized trousers. I think I’ll just change back into my old pair.”

Moomintroll let out a relieved breath he didn’t know he was holding. He felt sorry for assuming Snufkin’s intentions. He probably should have given him a chance to explain before jumping to conclusions…

Moomintroll jumped to his feet, recalling his hospitality. “Goodness, why didn’t you say anything sooner? I have a belt upstairs you could use, if you wish.”

Snufkin stood as well, using one hand to hold up his pants. “If it’s not too much of a bother, I would be very gracious,” he said.

Moomintroll scoffed good-naturedly. “Oh, don’t be silly. It might take a while to find, as I haven’t used it in quite a bit… but I promise, it’s no big deal!” he rambled, stumbling back upstairs.

“Thank you, Moomin. I’ll be up in a moment,” Snufkin said, giving him a half-hearted wave.

“Of course, but don’t be too long,” Moomintroll chirped over his shoulder. Then, he skipped up the stairs whilst humming joyfully. Snufkin watched him fully disappear before letting his smile fall.

“Oh, what did I just do…” he asked himself, standing and entering the living room. He didn't want to stay the winter. He _really_ didn’t. He’d rather be anywhere else. But the way Moomintroll’s ears drooped when he was upset… he couldn’t bear seeing him like that. He wasn’t sure why, though.

Snufkin groaned, sitting down on the sofas dust-sheet heavily. He leaned against it, rubbing at his eyes. What was he going to do? He couldn’t just leave now, that would be rude. And, even if he did, he didn’t know if he’d be able to--

“Hi, Snufkin,” Little My said suddenly, scaring the living daylights out of him. Snufkin made a very un-masculine squeak and rocketed to his feet, very nearly knocking over a lamp. The hair on his tail puffed up aggressively. Little My giggled from where she sat on the back of the couch, and Snufkin felt his face grow hot.

“My!” he hissed, crossing his arms. “It’s not kind to sneak up on people, you know.”

The redhead shrugged, bouncing onto the couch cushions and crossing her legs. “I know.” She smirked. “But it’s so funny seeing you jump like that!”

Snufkin rolled his eyes and made his way back towards the stairwell with a huff. To his dismay, Little My pranced after him.

“Like I was _saying,_ ” she said smugly, “I finally know what your tell is.”

“I don’t have a tell,” he replied bitterly. Little My raced past him and blocked his retreat. Snufkin simmered.

“You do! I saw it!”

“No, you didn’t.”

Snufkin attempted to squeeze past her, but Little My stubbornly resisted.

She latched onto his leg like a leech as he tried to step over her. “I _did!_ Your mouth twitches when you’re lying.”

Snufkin hesitated. Was that true? He’ll admit, he hadn’t really thought about it much. He glared down at Little My, who was beaming up at him. Her eyes said ‘gotcha’. He peeled her off with some difficulty and held the the writhing, growling mass at arm’s length.

“So? What of it?” he said crossly, scowling.

She stopped struggling to leer at him venomously. “Why don’t you wanna hibernate for the winter?” she asked pryingly. “Don’t you like it here?” Snufkin groaned and set her down on the floor.

“None of your business!” he responded before sliding through Moomintroll’s door and slamming it behind him. He leaned against it and held the doorknob so she couldn’t follow. A series of furious scratches and chewing noises followed. _‘Is she biting the doorknob?!’_ he thought.

When she finally gave up, Snufkin sighed in relief and slid against the door until he was sitting on the ground. When he looked up, he met Moomintroll’s eyes. He stared at him blankly from where he was rummaging through his wardrobe, seemingly caught off-guard by the intrusion. Snufkin coughed uneasily.

“So. About that belt?”

-~-

At about ten, the rain finally let up. Snufkin decided to leave for the night before it got worse. He returned the sweater and trousers and thanked the Moomin-family for their hospitality before leaving. Ah. Tent, sweet, tent.

As soon as he zipped the entrance behind him, he capsized backwards onto his sleeping bag and sighed in bliss. It was comfortably quiet, and the much-needed solitude was welcoming. He kicked off his boots and pondered the day’s misgivings.

 _’There’s no avoiding it now,’_ he thought, _’I suppose I’ll just have to follow along. Unless…’_

He sat up and scratched at his head. Unless… he could come up with an excuse. No, no, that’s not a good idea at all. It would be too cold-hearted, leading Moomintroll on like that. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful, and he _certainly_ didn’t want to seem rude. This sure was some predicament...

When he shifted where he sat, something sharp stabbed his thigh and made him wince. He foraged through his pocket and retrieved the culprit: the tiny journal he found in the trouser’s pockets. Damn! He must’ve forgotten to return it.

It was already quite late, and he didn’t want to be a nuisance to the Moomin household… so he left it in the tent’s farthest corner so he wouldn’t be tempted to snoop through it. He’d just return it in the morning.

He lay back down again, resting his head on his backpack. He brought out his harmonica and hit it against his palm. There wasn’t any harm in a few songs before resting, he thought. He started with a chipper, uplifting tune, but as his mind drifted back to the situation at hand, it transformed into a minor, somber melody. He couldn’t stop thinking about Moomintroll. Was he thinking of Snufkin too?

Finally, restless and burning with anticipation, he finally caved and fetched the journal. Every part of him was begging him to respect his friend’s privacy, but the rebellious part of his brain told him that one page wouldn’t hurt. He flipped to the inside cover and read the first passage. His reading skills weren’t the best, but he could make it out well enough.

> Found a odd rock by the river... very pretty! Im going to be giving it to Mama later. The leafs are turning ~~oren~~ orange too. Cant wait for winter!

Following the entry, a crude drawing of a maple leaf was sketched, colored in poorly with paints. _’That’s it?’_ Snufkin thought, finding himself disappointed. Either this diary was older than he imagined, or…

It was then that Snufkin remembered a little fact that Moomintroll told him some time ago. Moomins only schooled for as long as they wished. And as such, their english wasn’t very good at all. It was difficult to tell what time this might’ve been from.

Curious, he turned another page. This one was mostly covered in stains from the previous page’s watercolor.

> Ah! My art has ruined this page... I dont think I can fix it. Ill ask Papa for help later. Right now Im--

There was supposed to be more on the page, but it was all smeared up, making it impossible to make out. Pity.

The next few pages had similar records. Many were observations; drawings of different flowers, seashells, and leaves. There was an occasional poem about the ocean or forest. Even a few tales he’d crafted himself.

Snufkin poured over the journal’s contents, amused by Moomintroll’s stories of youth. At one point, he read something that caught his eye.

> The musk-rat has told us terrible news! There is soon to be a flaming star that will crash into Moomin-valley... he seen it in his dreams. Sniff and Little My and me keep seeing signs of it. Were going up to the lonely mountains to see what all the fuss is about. Stay tuned!

_’It must be getting close to the day we met!’_ he noted with wonder. The days before the comet. He continued, captivated.

> It feels like weve been walking forever! Its night-time now, and we met somebody on our travels. His name is ~~Snuff~~ ~~Snufke~~ Snufkin! Hes very ~~knowlid~~ ~~nowledg~~ smart in lots of diffrent things, like camping and nature and space and the ocean and plants. He says the star thing is a comet! He let us sleep in his tent. Hes very kind. I hope he will join us.

Snufkin couldn’t help but chuckle, smiling from ear to ear. It was sweet how much he looked up to him back then. Sweet, but also a bit scary. He was a very different person back then...

When he continued, he found that the full two pages were illustrated. A series of green triangles with a circle in the middle, next to a mass of lumpy beans. There was a little portion where the two overlapped. He squinted, trying to figure out what it was trying to represent. The moon over the mountains, maybe?

 _’Oh!’_ he thought as an idea came to him. _’The beans must be a self-portrait, which means the triangles would be… me?’_

He took a moment to think about it. Then realization hit him, and he erupted into a blushing mess. He toppled over backwards, the book laying open over his face. Moomintroll drew a picture of the two of them holding hands. They hadn’t even known each other for a few hours at this point. Just the thought of them holding hands now sent him back into a fit of incomprehensible giggles.

Once he eventually regained some semblance of sanity, he reopened the diary, resuming his read. He spent hours analyzing each entry, laughing along with Moomintroll’s stories, and interpreting his indecipherable doodles.

About halfway through, the passages stopped abruptly. He pinpointed the last entry to be at about two or three years back, just before winter. There were still quite a few pages left. He must have forgotten all about it.

Snufkin yawned. How long had he been reading for?

 _’It must be past midnight by now,’_ he reasoned, watching the colorful dots dance in front of his eyes. Unable to form coherent thought, he finally forced himself to get some rest. He made sure to remove the bandages around his chest first; he forgot he was wearing them at all. Then, he curled up and fell swiftly to sleep.

-~-

The days leading up to winter were long and uneventful. Snufkin had been doing his best to follow along with his lie, but he was finding it harder and harder with each passing day. Before he knew it, it was time. He still hadn’t returned the diary. He wasn’t sure how to tell Moomintroll that he snooped through it…Surely, he’d return it before they began hibernation.

Moomintroll woke him up late afternoon, excitement seeping through every pore. Snufkin was practically dragged back to Moominhouse by his friend. After a quick breakfast of pancakes (Moominmamma took some convincing; pine needles were the more traditional option), they set to work cleaning up the house for winter. Currently, Snufkin and Moomintroll were cleaning up the dining room. Moomintroll was mopping the floor while Snufkin unenthusiastically scrubbed the table. An upbeat song played through the family’s old radio.

“Okay, so me and Moominmamma helped set up the guest bed in my room, ‘cause the other rooms are being used for storage -- I hope that’s okay, by the way.” Moomintroll mopped while he spoke, his tail swishing hypnotically to the tune of the radio. He seemed to dance around the floor, tapping his foot to the beat.

“Uh-huh. Sure.” Snufkin gazed at him, enraptured by his movements. He didn’t know what it was, but he just couldn’t keep his eyes off of him. Once again, his mind drifted away from the conversation. The sponge was left forgotten on the table.

“We all woke up bright and early... so there’s still a while to go... _huge_ stash of blankets, so there should be... extra pyjamas just in case it gets too cold… lovely blue pair I think you’d fit fine in.”

“Mhm.”

“... with her sister, and Sniff... just you and me! And Papa and Mama, of course... with tea, it’s supposed to make it... so much sugar in mine that it doesn’t do much for me anymore...”

“Hm!”

“... lotta dust… Snufkin? Snufkin!”

Snufkin’s ears shot up when he heard his name, snapping out of his stupor. “Oh! Y-Yeah?”

Moomin pouted, placing the mop in its bucket and propping his hands on his hips. “Were you even listening?”

“Yep. Every word,” he affirmed, setting the sponge on the table and sitting up attentively.

“Then why can’t Sniff stay over this winter?” Moomintroll inquired confidently.

“Uhm.” Snufkin thought for a moment. “He... broke his foot?”

Moomintroll threw his hands up. “No! He’s sick!”

“Well, that’s unfortunate. Hope he’s alright.”

Moomintroll squinted, but couldn’t contain his smile. “Don’t change the subject!”

Snufkin snickered, standing up and wiping his soapy hands on his coat. “You’re right, I’m sorry,” he said, resigned. “I was… uh... thinkin’ about something.”

Grabbing the handle of the mop again, Moomintroll set back to work. “Oh yeah? About what?” he inquired.

Snufkin froze. “Ah. About… how… excited I am for hibernating!” he said slowly, resuming his cleaning. “Nothin’ better than sleeping for three months on end. As I always say.”

Moomintroll laughed. “I have _never_ heard you say that.”

“Well, I guess you just haven’t been around when I did,” Snufkin mentioned, bemused.

There was an interval where neither of them said anything at all. Moomintroll coughed.

“Three and a quarter, actually.”

“What?” Snufkin asked, confused.

“We usually sleep for three months and a quarter. 100 days, 100 nights.”

“Do you?”

Moomintroll nodded. “Mhm!”

Before Snufkin could respond, Little My waddled down the stairs and onto the newly-mopped floor, covered head-to-toe in dust. Where she stepped, little mites fell off and drifted over the floorboards. Moomintroll yelped, insulted. “My!” he squawked.

“The attic’s been dusted,” she chirped, completely oblivious to the mess she had made.

-~-

Before long, nighttime came. And with it, a sense of unshakable dread on Snufkin’s part. He was starting to get the feeling that Mumriks weren’t designed to eat pine-needles, as his stomach was starting to upset (that could be easily mistaken for anxiety, though). Little My left some time ago to reunite with her sister, leaving him alone with the Moomin-family.

For the last few hours leading up to hibernation, Snufkin and Moomin were chatting up in what would be their shared bedroom for the next few months. Snufkin had been gently goaded into borrowing a pair of pyjamas for the hibernation, as he didn’t have any back at his tent. Unfortunately, no matter how they insisted, his hat never left his head.

“I’m just saying,” Snufkin was saying defensively, “there’s something ethereal about sleeping under the stars. I don’t know why people don’t do it more often.”

Snufkin sat cross-legged, a cup of warm tea in his lap. Moomin was lying down next to his friend, his legs dangling over the edge of the bed. He yawned obnoxiously before responding. “I don’t know what that word means. Either-real.”

Snufkin looked up at the ceiling, thinking. “It’s ‘ethereal’. And... uhm… it means ‘heavenly’ or ‘mysterious’, I believe,” he explained, gesturing with his free hand as he took a sip of his tea.

Moomintroll snorted. “I’d rather stay warm in my bed, thank you. I don’t care how ‘ether-ree-al’ it is,” he said, making little air quotes. “Plus, don’t the bugs bother you? And what about the rocks?”

Snufkin shrugged nonchalantly, tapping on his knee. “‘Ethereal’. And, I mean, they’re not _that_ distracting. But then again, that’s just me. You really should try it, though.”

He turned to say something else, but Moomintroll had stopped listening altogether. “Ee-thereal. Eh-ther-eel. Eat- _there_ -el. Heh. It doesn’t even sound like a word anymore.”

Snufkin burst out into giggles, covering his smile with his hand. He knew this odd version of Moomintroll all too well. He was getting the pre-hibernation hysterics. Soon enough, it would be time to...

Just then, a knock came at the bedroom door and Moominpappa entered. It took all that Snufkin had to keep himself from laughing at his outfit: a baby-blue onesie with little sailboats on it and a floppy hat. He looked like he had just wandered out of a children’s book. Moominmamma followed him close after, wearing a more respectable bathrobe.

“Alright, kids,” Papa drawled, rubbing at his eyes. “It’s just about time, so let’s get you all settled.”

“Aww. But I’m not tired,” Moomintroll complained. His drowsy eyes and inability to sit up said otherwise, though. Snufkin hopped off Moomintroll’s bed and stretched his arms. He was right; the tea definitely made him feel a bit sluggish. Too bad his anxiety was fending off any desire to fall asleep.

 _’This is a terrible idea. This is an awful idea. How did I get myself into this mess?’_ he thought to himself as he crawled into the guest bed beside Moomintroll’s. The massive amount of comforters would have normally been, well, comforting. But they just made him sweaty and claustrophobic.

“We’ll be right downstairs if you need anything, alright?” Moominmamma said, turning the oil-lamp’s light down. Snufkin nodded. His stomach was flip-flopping. After a few more ‘goodnights’, Moominmamma & Moominpappa left. The door closed, and the light from the hallway was diminished, leaving them in the dark.

He heard Moomintroll yawn as he shifted in his bed. “ ‘Night, Snufkin,” he mumbled. “See you next spring.”

Snufkin gulped, gripping his sheets until his knuckles were white. “Ye-up,” he replied shakily. “ ‘Till then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *obi wan kenobi voice* hello there  
> im not gonna be replying to all ur lovely comments cuz its gonna mess up the counter but PLEASE DONT NOT SEND THEM theyre the only thing keeping me motivated.   
> thanks for reading;; asdhkfdsls

**Author's Note:**

> and they were roomates  
> (oh my god they were roomates)  
> ty for reading holy shit


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